


Fragment of Flame/Ocean's Throne

by Sanctified_Jasper



Series: Winx Alt Con [3]
Category: Winx Club
Genre: DO NOT POST TO AN UNOFFICIAL APP, Do not post to another site, Enchantix - Freeform, Harmonix - Freeform, Mentally unstable villain, Mentions of Violence, Season 3 rewrite, Winx Alt Con, canon loss of sight, depictions of injuries to eyes, mentions of life or death situations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:00:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21952591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanctified_Jasper/pseuds/Sanctified_Jasper
Summary: The Trix did not stay put in their prison, and a rediscovered ally changes the battlefield for the worse.
Relationships: Aisha | Layla/Nabu (Winx Club), Bloom & Stella (Winx Club), Bloom/Sky (Winx Club), Flora & Miele (Winx Club), Nabu & Roy (Winx Club), Winx Club Friendship
Series: Winx Alt Con [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1218519
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	1. Week 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Episodes: N/A

The girls return to Alfea in high spirits after their Halloween outing, and buckle down for exams.

Faragonda catches word of their escapades and manages to get a copy of Tecna's video. Though the original purpose of Tecna filming everything had been so they could keep track of any suspicious activity, the resulting footage made for great watching for the Alfea staff, who decide to give the girls extra credit for their quick thinking, teamwork, and unusual application of their powers.

The staff also discuss whether or not to allow the Winx to begin taking Mission Assignments in the new semester.

Typically regulated to the more senior and specialised students, Mission Assignments are paying jobs that require a special skill set, but are easy enough for the higher level students to handle, giving them both income, and experience in the field. (In uncontrolled conditions.)

Griselda reminds the other teachers that the Winx may not want to major in 'universe saving', and would probably like the chance to go back to being normal students, now that all apparent threats have been dealt with.

The adults agree, and decide to put forth the _possibility_ to the Winx in the following semester, and allow the girls to decide for themselves.

* * *

As the week, and school term, comes to an end, the Winx finalise their plans for the two weeks of school vacation. Bloom talks to Faragonda about keeping _The Sparx_ at Alfea, since she has nowhere on Earth to park it, and picks up a 'vacation pass' while she's there, so that truancy officers on Earth don't bother her. Though she admits that her mother and father should be able to convince the officers that Bloom is genuinely on vacation, since thanksgiving break would start the week Bloom went back to Alfea.

(Faragonda inquires about the holiday system Earth uses, and asks if Bloom would like to spend the night with her parents, since many students have allowances for their own cultural holidays. Bloom agrees to think on how she'd like to handle it.)

While the girls are packing, Stella mentions that Solaria is having a cultural event in the middle of the holidays, and asks if the girls would like to attend the ceremony and ball that will be held for the occasion.

The girls all agree that a chance to party would be welcome, and decide to meet in Magix the morning prior to the ceremony, so they can make sure their outfits don't clash, and get a crash course in the Solarian event.

Their schedules synced, they head out.

The group catch a bus over to Magix, choosing the slower transport so they can spend just a little more time together, their pixies with them as they've opted to stick with their fairies for the vacation period.

Since Musa, Tecna and Flora's departure time is still some time away, Aisha leads the girls down to the docks to check out _her_ transport home.

A small yacht named _Anne-Marine_ , which can teleport from one ocean to another via magical currents connected with Ocean Gates. At the rest of the Winx' confused looks, Aisha explains.

(Ocean Gates are doorways that connect all oceans to the Heart of the Seas, otherwise known as the Infinite Ocean. Ocean Gates can also connect any two oceans to one another, but are guarded by selkies.)

The girls board _Anne-Marine_ and take a look around. Flora notices a small charm hanging by the ship's wheel, and Aisha tells the group about her childhood friend, Anne, to whom the charm belonged, and who'd passed away several years prior. With a sad smile, Aisha admits she named her yacht after her friend, because both had given her freedom, and it made it feel like part of Anne was still with her.

The group share a hug and turn the conversation to lighter topics, like taking _Anne-Marine_ out for a day after the Solarian event. When the group leaves the marina to grab a quick lunch before they separate, Bloom asks Aisha about the possibility of an Ocean Gate on Earth, and whether it may have been affected by whatever disappeared the fairies.

Aisha says she wouldn't know, but promises to look into it.

* * *

After seeing the others off, Bloom, Stella, Kiko and their pixies teleport to Earth. As they land in Bloom's room, the fairy proclaims that she really needs to learn to teleport for herself. Stella pouts and jokes about Bloom not needing her anymore.

('Noooo, if you can teleport for yourself you won't need me anymore, and I'm needy about needing to be needed Bloom!'/'You know, I could always take public transport?'/'Pft, like anyone would make a route to Earth for one person.'/'or I could fly _The Sparx_?'/'and park it where?'/'so teach me to teleport.'/'I don't know if I can, my ability to teleport is tied to the Ring, so you'd still need that, assuming you could use it for teleporting.')

Their conversation is derailed by Vanessa, who heard them talking from down the hall. Vanessa welcomes them all back, and while Stella is clinging to Bloom, reluctant to say good bye to her friend for a _whole, entire WEEK_ , Vanessa invites the princess to stay the night, and head home in the morning.

Stella readily agrees.

(After dinner and catch up with Bloom's parents, the duo practice teleporting with the Ring. It turns out Bloom _can_ use that ability of the artefact.)

* * *

Stella leaves the next morning after reapplying her clarity of vision spell*, since it had suffered a significant deterioration, like it had aged a few decades in the few weeks since Stella had first cast it.

(Stella double checks the date and time with Bloom for her pick up for the ball, and even offers an invite to Mike and Vanessa, but the pair politely decline, worried they'd be too far out of their depth in a 'magical space palace.')


	2. Week 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Week 21: Eps 301-303, 305-306, (/5**) Warning for: semi graphic violence and resulting injuries.

Bloom tries to spend a day on the beach not long into her break, but finds herself being escorted away by a truancy officer, until her parents can arrive and back up Bloom's claim of being on vacation.

Bloom tries not to be smug as the officer hands back her 'vacation pass' in lieu of an apology. It takes another two hours for Bloom to fill out some paperwork and be issued a 'Special Dispensation' card by the truancy office, so it doesn't happen again.

Through out the week, Bloom finds herself feeling out of place in her hometown, with the others her age being in school, and with her bridges with Selina burned, Bloom has no one to hang out with.

Vanessa sits Bloom down for a chat one evening, and asks if she's doing okay. Bloom admits how she's feeling, and Vanessa sympathises.

Bloom has been through so many changes so fast over the last few months, moving in different directions to her Earth friends/acquaintances, it's understandable that's she'd feel out of sync.

Mike returns from work in time to join in on the hug-and-support fest.

* * *

Bloom spends the rest of the week alternating between hanging out with her mum at the flower shop, hanging out with her dad around the fire station, and flying out to different areas around Gardenia to draw.

* * *

With her bags packed for the trip, and stowed in her carry space ('literally the best magical ability ever mum, I'm like a video game hero, I have an _inventory_!...kind of.') Bloom, Kiko and Lockette wait for Stella, who arrives 'fashionably early', much to Bloom's relief.

With a quick goodbye to her parents, the group sets off for Magix.

* * *

At the docks once more, the small group waits for Aisha, who shows up in _Anne-Marine_ , with the rest of the Winx and pixies in tow.

('we decided it was silly for them to pay for transport when we have it in three styles.' (referring to the Ring of Solaria, _Anne-Marine_ , and _The Sparx_.))

The group decide arriving on Solaria in _Anne-Marine_ would be way more stylish than Stella leading a group teleport, so Bloom and Stella leave their stuff on the boat while the girls head out to find Stella a new Dress, since none of her old ones will do. (The girls suspect Stella has something in reserve, because no way would she leave a dress for such an important event until the last second.)

After a quick bite to eat, the pixies and Kiko decide to wait for the Winx on _Anne-Marine,_ while the girls hit several shops. Unfortunately none of the dresses really _speak_ to Stella; when Bloom reminds her of the cannibalism they performed to make Bloom's welcome back dress several months prior, Stella agrees that if she can't find something in the next three stores, she might just do that.

As they shop, Stella gives her friends the do's and don'ts of the event.

It's to celebrate the Solar Eclipse, which happens once every few decades. While in the Eclipsing Hall, Stella and her mother will perform a ritual dance to ensure the harmony of the celestial bodies.

While in the Eclipsing Hall, _no magic of non-celestial varieties is allowed_.

Stella confesses that while the ritual is partly just a tradition, it _does_ involve some _actual_ magic balancing, and any incompatible magics could throw it off, and result in _bad times_ for Solaria's climate.

Since Stella will be wearing a ritual gown for the ceremony, she needs a dress for before and after the ritual. She manages to get her hands on a gorgeous pink dress, but after locating a daring red number in one of the online store catalogues, she arrives at the only store to stock it on Magix to find out the red dress has already been bought.

Pouting, the girls make their way to a food parlour for a meal before they head off to Solaria. As they slide into their booth to wait on their order, Musa finally snaps, and demands to know what's wrong with Bloom.

Confused, Bloom says 'nothing?' but Aisha makes an 'uh' sound like she wants to correct her, and wipes her hand over her mouth, like the action is supposed to mean something to Bloom.

Bloom continues to be confused, so Flora tells Bloom the fire fairy has been doing it all day, wiping her mouth like she's trying to get rid of a bad taste.

Tecna jumps in with an estimate of the frequency of wipes, and points at Bloom like her point had just been made.

Startled, Bloom realises she's half way through wiping her mouth. Stella says she thought Bloom had eaten something earlier and hadn't wanted to complain.

Bloom denies it was the food, and tries to figure it out. Slowly, she admits there _is_ a bad taste in the back of her mouth, like when you bite your tongue and swallow some blood, but it feels more... _rotten_ somehow.

She can't say for sure when it started, but she's sure it isn't food related. Not sure what do do, the girls let the matter be, and try to enjoy their meal.

* * *

On the way back to the docks, Aisha stumbles a bit, frowning as she experiences sudden sympathy-cramps. Before the girls can ask what's wrong, Aisha's remote alarm for the _Anne-Marine_ starts going off.

The girls race for the yacht, but as they pass along Magix' ocean-side boulevard, Aisha notices the ocean is pulling back _way_ too far from the shore.

The people in the water have noticed as well.

Aisha conveys the danger to the Winx, and the group transform and fly out to help the swimmers stuck in the ocean. Using every trick they know for relocating people in a hurry, the group manages to get everyone they can see to safety just before the tide turns, and an enormous wall of water comes straight for the shore.

Together the Winx create a shield to stop the wave, extending it as far as they can to protect as much of the city as they can. Luckily for them, they don't have to do it alone. While they were pulling off their rescue, someone had called for help, and several dozen fairies, witches and wizards add their power to the shield wall, covering enough of the coastline to protect the city.

As the waves peters off, the authorities begin trying to figure out what happened, and one of the local law enforcement officers recognises the Winx from the concert several weeks prior.

She makes her way over to the girls, who are discussing the wave, when the officer (politely) interrupts, Aisha explains (for the second time,) that the wave was caused by a magical upset in the Ocean Gates. The fairy princess tells the officer about the alert her ship had sent her just before the event, and how the physical wave was a response to a magical shock wave from Andros, and Aisha knows the officer is just doing her job, but Aisha _has to go_ _**now**_.

The officer lets them leave, and heads off to report what she's learned.

Meanwhile, the Winx fly for _Anne-Marine_ as fast as they can, and mere moments after touching down on the ship's deck, they're transitioning into Androssian waters.

* * *

The air is heavy with a negative aura when they emerge onto the seas of Andros, Aisha has brought them to a bay just off the coastline where the Palace on Land sits.

On the horizon they can see the origin point of the malevolent emanations. Aisha identifies the epicentre as the Tidal Gate, the Gate which connects not just _every_ Ocean Gate throughout the Magical Dimension, but also connects Andros to the Infinite Ocean.

Lockette tells the others that something about the Tidal Gate's portal is _very, very off_ , and asks to get closer to the Gate so she can figure out what's going on.

As they close in on the Gate, the group sees several smaller vessels in the water, people fighting what look like mutated mermaids. With Aisha driving, the rest of the Winx and pixies trade off shielding _Anne-Marine_ and lending aid to the royal guards, who seem to be losing the fight against the strange merfolk.

One of the guards, a young man barely older than the Winx, tells the girls what happened after they bring him on board. Shortly before the shock wave, the Tidal Gate _spasmed_ , the portal partially activated and evil flowed out. They'd received only brief messages from the Palace under Water, and then lost contact with the merfolk.

They'd immediately sent out several vessels to investigate and lend aid, and... well, the Winx had seen what was left. The girls are at an impasse, they have to see what they can do to stop the portal, and they have to see if they can help any survivors.

The young guard kneels before Aisha, giving his rank, name (it's Roy) and his driver's classification, which basically means, he can drive _Anne-Marine_ to the survivors, freeing up Aisha to help with whatever they decide.

Before they can split up, Tecna gifts Bloom and Stella with cross shaped bracelets that span almost half of their forearms. The others show they've already been given theirs, and Tecna tells the duo that they're a new communication system Tecna built, one of several projects she'd done since the end of semester. (Kiko gets one as well, which makes him very excited, he shows it off to Lockette, who isn't jealous, because Digit has just remembered to hand out the pixies' comm devices which _she'd_ been working on.)

The group decides to send Aisha (for her familiarity with the Tidal Gate), Tecna and Musa (for their ability to scan and interpret the data), Bloom (as Lockette's Bonded), and Lockette (as the Pixie of Portals) to investigate the Gate, while Stella, Flora and the rest of the pixies do what they can for whomever they can. (Kiko volunteers to stay with Roy, in case the guy turns out to be shifty... and also so he can use Kiko's communications bracelet.)

* * *

As the investigation team gets closer to the portal, Bloom gags, the foul aftertaste that's been sitting faintly in the back of her throat suddenly multiplying. She coughs and spits and tells the others to ignore it, and focus on their mission.

The Tidal Gate has begun pulsing with a visible, sickly glow. Each pulse sending small shock waves of magic into the area, which makes going forward more difficult than it should be. When they finally make it to the rocky platform that hosts the Gate, they land reluctantly. Tecna's first step is to release a swarm of her scanner bugs, a new upgraded version she'd spent some of her vacation working on.

Information floods in from the little machines, and Tecna tries to interpret the data while Aisha and Lockette work on feeling out the energies around the Gate.

Musa doesn't lend her help with the probing, because she and Bloom find themselves trying to fend of mutant merfolk while their friends work.

Musa and Bloom fight side by side as the others do their best to figure out the problem. But then Bloom drops, retching and clawing like she needs to be sick, like the world around her is sick, and she needs to _get it away from her_.

The Tidal Gate explodes with energy, sending the team flying. The water doesn't catch them softly, they hit the waves _hard_ , air knocked from their lungs. Aisha recovers quickly, trying not to choke on the water, tainted by the evil energy flowing from the now completely open portal. On her forearm her communication bracelet starts jabbering. Stella's frantic voice comes through as Aisha swims for her friends.

She casts 'Under Water Breath' on them as soon as she gets close enough, but Bloom needs help to rise back up to the surface, writhing as she goes.

The group ascends above the ocean's waves, a distance away from the Tidal Gate. On the isle of the Gate, a group of four emerge. Of the group, three are familiar young women, the Trix.

The fourth is a man who makes Bloom's instincts scream ' _ **abomination**_!'

She wants to set him on fire, to burn him to ashes, to get as far away from him as she can, and never have to feel his presence ever again.

He looks at her, not at _them_ , not at her _group_ , but at **her**. She can feel it when their eyes meet, and she is filled with a primal revulsion for his existence, but he...

There is a desire and a need in his gaze and she does not understand it, knows only that she was less afraid facing Darkar, the Embodiment of the Original Evil.

'We need to run,' she tries to tell the others, but her voice is lost in the communication devices' audio, of Stella trying to get them to tell her why several of their 'survivors' just mutated, of Roy's voice calling out to 'Ophir', of Flora and the pixies and even Kiko trying to organise themselves and those who are still saved.

Aisha takes charge, telling Tecna and Musa to get Bloom and Lockette out of there. The Fairy of Water and Ocean Waves reaches out with her magic, pulling at the sea below her, _willing_ her power to push through the contamination. The water obeys, if somewhat reluctantly, pulling free of itself, raising up into an enormous wave which crashes down on the four occupants of the islet.

When the water subsides, Aisha can see the Trix sprawled against the few small outcroppings on the isle, but there's no sign of the man.

Until suddenly there is.

His grin is feral and manic, and there is a dangerous rage in his eyes, she barely has anytime to realise he's there, let alone react, before he's backhanding her across the face with an arm wreathed in sickly fire.

The cold of the ocean does nothing to stop the sting of the burns, the salt in the briny water doing nothing but driving the pain deeper in. Aisha can't breathe, can't see through the pain, can barely hear, but there's arms encircling her and a familiarity to the voice by her ear that she can't quite make out, someone is pulling her through the waters and away from the Gate.

* * *

Valtor grins as the fairies retreat, his gaze drifting to the direction _she_ had gone. With her brilliant flame hair, and her warm glowing magic.

Before he can track _her_ down however, his mothers call to him, they need aid, so he turns away from _her_ , for now.

His mothers are weak, but he will take care of them, because he owes them his existence, and now his freedom.

And because they will help him find _her,_ his beautiful blossoming _Daphne._

* * *

Aisha is in only slightly less pain when she is hauled up and out of the water, though words are easier to make out, voices are easier to recognise. The voice and hands of the one who takes her from the one in the ocean are unfamiliar completely. Warm and male, but she can hear the rest of the Winx, and is passed to them quickly, the man who'd lifted her saying something else, saying 'you highness,' and for a second Aisha thinks he's talking to her, but is too distracted by the soft (almost scented) healing magic of Flora on her face.

There's a feminine voice, a splash of water, and the slide of scales over the ship's deck.

Aisha tries not to startle when she realises her cousin, Tressa, had been the one to swim her through the water, had brought her to _Anne-Marine_ , and now sat with them as Roy (it must have been Roy still driving) turned the boat towards the Palace on Land.

* * *

Tressa tries not to panic as she watches the flower fairy fail to heal the damage done to Aisha's face, tries not to panic as she tries to explain to the people with them that her mother, Queen Ligea, is trapped in one of the cave systems, protecting some of the thus far unturned merfolk with her powers.

Her brother Tritannus had been turned, she didn't know where Nereus or her father were, but her mother and the survivors need _help_.

* * *

Bloom may have been shivering and out of it, but the others weren't, and while they were focused on Aisha and the Trix and their new ally and they mess they'd made, they weren't blind to Stella's sudden, if mild, displays of prolonged disgust.

Musa asked about it quietly as Roy drove _Anne-Marine_ back to shore, Bloom carried between Musa and Tecna as they, Stella, and the pixies flew escort above the boat. But Stella had no answer, just a sudden sense of mild revulsion when the Tidal Gate had broken open.

Tecna fixes Bloom with a wondering stare before looking at the blonde fairy, and asks if Stella thinks the unease and foul taste Bloom had experienced, her current state, and Stella's sudden feelings, were possibly connected.

Stella gets the feeling it might be, but can't say why, and demands an explanation for Bloom's current state.

After hearing about the strange man, Stella asks if he might be the source of the evil that's corrupting every living thing around the Tidal Gate.

Tecna checks the feed from her bugs, and says that yes, there is a very good chance.

* * *

Roy feels very out of his depth as he steers _Anne-Marine_ into the harbour. The pleasure yacht is filled with as many Androssian soldiers as they could find, including a few merfolk hanging onto ropes(vines) attached to the sides, courtesy of Flora.

The flower fairy is moving between survivors, doling out healing magic, and Roy tries not to be distracted from his task of navigating, but both princesses are huddled together by the railing, and Aisha's eyes look _bad_.

His vigilance pays off, and he manages to dodge the boat around a sudden attack from below. His friend, who'd shown up unexpectedly during the rescue mission, casts some shielding which ensures they don't lose anyone as the vessel swerves.

Roy gives his friend an appreciative thanks, calling him once again by his hard earned sidhe name, Ophir. Because if Roy uses his friend's birth name right now, it will be harder to objectify the situation, harder to hold onto his calm.

He _has_ to be _the ensign_ assigned to drive the princesses and the survivors right now, because if he's not, he won't make it to the docks, and there are too many people counting on him right now.

* * *

Aisha's parents are pissed when they see the state she's in, but between trying to organise another offensive, and organising room for the refugees and survivors, they don't have time to personally track down anyone remotely responsible for their daughter's current state. This is good for the Winx, since 'Aisha didn't get involved in this sort of life threatening trouble before she met them.'

The Winx, Kiko and their pixies find a quiet spot to figure out what to do, they stay near the ocean's edge so they can include Tressa, who gives them as much detail as she can about the location of her mother.

The group starts trying to put a plan together, but they keep breaking into squabbles.

Aisha can't go, she can't even see (“I don't need my eyes to see in the oceans of Andros, it's my home, _and_ my element!”), Tressa only has limited training, and won't be much help in a fight (“Screw you! This is _my_ mother, I'm **going!** ”), and the rest of the Winx...

(“Look, we have no way of knowing how long we'll be underwater, or how much fighting we'll have to do, there's a good chance you girls won't be able to hold the 'Under Water Breath' enchantment for as long as you _need it_. You'll become a liability, you aren't water fae, you'll _drown_!”/ “Yeah, it's not like you girls have Harmonix forms.”/ “Have... what now?”)

Tressa looks at Aisha, confused the other girls don't seem to know what Harmonix is, but Aisha can't see her. With a huff, Aisha explains the Form of Water, an Environmental Form which the fairies (and some wizards) of Andros often obtain on top of their normal forms (first form, Charmix, Enchantix) in order to help them commune better with their element.

Aisha also admits she hasn't obtained it yet, since it's a supplementary form, it is considered to be part of Androssian Cultural Traditions, and Aisha hasn't yet reached that stage.

The Harmonix can, of course be obtained whenever a fairy wants, regardless of their home world, but it has Cultural Significance on Andros.

This brings up the question of how the girls go about obtaining Harmonix. Aisha gives a pained sigh before telling them: they need to create a Bond with a selkie _from their home world._

Bloom quickly realises what this means: she _can't_ help, Domino is a dead world and Earth has no magic. Aisha gives a small nod, and confirms that, while on break, she'd looked up the Ocean Gate for Earth, and found it had been sealed tight just prior to the disappearance of Earth's fairies. The Gate was locked under a Quarantine protocol, which meant only those who locked it, or someone from the Infinite Ocean, could _un_ lock it.

Before they can get caught up in the idea of obtaining their Harmonix, Amore reminds Stella that she needs to be back on Solaria in just a couple of hours, for the balancing ceremony of the Eclipse. Stella startles, realising how late it is, she wavers, her loyalty to Aisha versus the good of her people.

It is an obvious choice, but it does give her pause, just long enough for Aisha to tell the other princess to leave, that one planet in trouble is more than enough, they do _not_ need two.

The pixies suggest taking Bloom as well, which the rest of the group agrees with, even Tressa, who doesn't know the whole story. Bloom agrees with a small spark of self annoyance, because even if she didn't feel inexplicably like trash thanks to her proximity to the man with the Trix, she can't obtain a Harmonix to help out.

Stella offers to teleport the others to their home worlds to find some selkies, but the group agrees taking _Anne-Marine_ would be their best bet, since they'll need to be on the ocean anyway.

Reluctantly, Bloom and Stella leave, their pixies and Kiko volunteering to stay behind to do what they can to help on Andros.

The rest of the group begins to plan, first they need to figure out where each gate is on their planets, then they need to learn how to drive _Anne-Marine_ since Aisha is currently not in any shape to do it herself.

A pair of male voices interrupts them before they can get too far with their plans. Roy and Ophir are making their way over, the wizard carrying a medical kit in his arms. When they reach the girls Ophir politely informs Aisha he's brought her a healing salve to help with her injuries, cutting her off before she can argue, to tell her that everyone else has already been seen to.

With no reason to fight except pride, Aisha allows the wizard to tend to her wounds. While the group get back to their mission, only for Ophir to interrupt again, giving them what he knows about the locations for the Ocean Gates of other worlds. (He'd researched them for one of his magical studies a year or so ago.) Tressa pipes in with her knowledge of the local selkies' whereabouts, in case Aisha wants to obtain hers while they're at it.

Ophir tenses, before delving into his pockets for something, he finally brings out a small, scrunched up piece of thin plastic wrap, warning Aisha before he enchants it firmly over her eyes to protect the salve he's just finished applying from any water that she's definitely going to get on it.

Roy naturally volunteers himself to drive the girls to their home worlds.

Destinations and transport set, the girls give themselves just an hour to obtain their Harmonix, and meet up.

* * *

Stella and Bloom arrive in a courtyard that's filled with hustle and bustle, a voice calls out to Stella, who realises she's left her new pink dress on Andros. Before she has any time to make a fuss over it, a ginger haired girl their age is jogging up to the duo, weaving through the crowd.

Stella recognises the girl, and as soon as she gets close, introduces Bloom to Nova. Bloom realises is the same Nova that Stella mentioned some weeks ago when talking about the survivors from Domino.

Nova has a brief moment of 'oh my gosh my grandma talks about your family, your highness I'm honoured,' then seeing Bloom's embarrassment over the acknowledgement of her royal birthright, changes the topic.

Solaria has been trying to find out where a magically charged tidal wave came from, the second in just a few hours. Stella tells Nova they have to speak with the king, because they _know_ where the waves have been coming from, and Nova leads the way. (she's been helping out with the preparations for the ritual and knows exactly where king Radius should be.)

* * *

On Zenith, Tecna is wished good luck by her friends, wraps herself in the 'Under Water Breath' spell, and dives.

She powers through the water as best she can, the water's drag pulling on her wings as she makes her way towards what should be the village of the selkies of Zenith.

Over head, Roy steers _Anne-Marine_ towards Melody.

She arrives at a grotto which she recognises from Aisha and Ophir's descriptions, it is basically a door mat for the selkies, and Tecna must announce her intentions and let the selkies decide whether or not to speak with her.

“I am Tecna, Fairy of Technology, Child of Zenith. I come to seek a Selkie Bond, to gain the power of Harmonix so I may lend my aid on Andros.”

Tecna waits, and amongst the coral and weeds, she sees movement, made by what must be dozens of small, pixie sized bodies.

Finally, a small, seal like creature swims forwards, and Tecna lets it come to her, lets it judge her.

If she is not accepted, she will find another way to help her friend.

The small seal swims close, skimming against Tecna's Wings, not quite close enough to touch, barrelling gracefully past her hip. Tecna gasps, streams of colour, the colours of her wings and suit, trail after the creature, which swims to a stop before Tecna, within arms reach.

The trailing colours catch up and encase the little being, wrapping it tightly in what becomes a luminous cocoon. When it burst, the being is transformed, its front flippers have been replaced with arms, its body far more fish like. A thin veil of translucent purple hangs from beneath a bright green shell-hat.

The being giggles, “I am Lithia.” And just like that, Tecna feels the Bond snap into place, like she had when she'd met Digit. The Ocean seems to sing around her as a new power swells up inside her.

She feels it burst forth, her sense of the water opening up like an unzipped computer file, spilling out around her.

* * *

Musa doesn't wait for the boat to leave, diving into the open ocean not far from her home on Melody. The sound of _Anne-Marine_ cuts through the water behind her, but she ignores it for her goal: the selkie city of Melody.

Or rather, the audience area.

It is like an amphitheatre made of coral, and Musa wishes she had the time to admire it more thoroughly. Instead she calls out her name and purpose, and waits.

And waits.

She thinks she hears whispers through the branches and bulbs of coral, but no one emerges. Not sure what else to do, Musa closes her eyes and begins to sing.

She doesn't use words, no instruments. She vocalises, letting the music of her voice carry her feelings and hope.

She feels a stirring in the water around her, and opens her eyes in time to see a cocoon of colour light burst, revealing a selkie in red, blue, veil like 'hair floating around its shoulders.

“I am Sonna, I like your music.”

The Bond and power hit her like a crescendo, and Musa lets it sweep her away.

* * *

Flora is tempted to call out to her sister, to reach for the younger fairy across the bond they share, to seek comfort as she dives. But Miele is young yet, and this is Flora's task, so she will not share her burden, will not lay the knowledge of the problems on Andros on her family's shoulders.

Flora feels a subtle burst of encouragement through her Bond with Chatta, far apart though they are, and Flora smiles, her nerves steeled. She will do this, she _can_ do this.

She isn't as familiar with the plants of the ocean, but they call to her all the same, welcoming as she makes her way closer and closer to her destination. When she arrives, the plants tell her the selkies are watching her, waiting, so she shares her identity, her reasons for her presence, and then she waits.

She can feel Chatta, so she doesn't give into the fear that she will be turned away, she waits patiently, and is rewarded. The little being that swims around her doesn't look the way she expected, not at first. As the lights swarm the being, and change its form, Flora feels the Bond blossoming between them, like new roots reaching through the soil to join her.

Pink and green and smiling, Desiryee introduces themself.

Herself.

* * *

Aisha hides her face in Ophir's back as they ride across the waves on a small craft, what Bloom would have called a magical jet-ski. His long plait flicks against her, buffeted by the wind, just like her own hair.

They would have swum, but the selkie village is too far for them with their inherent land dwelling features, compared to Tressa who swims beside them easily, Aisha and Ophir would never have kept up, and queen Ligea is running out of time.

* * *

_Teredor doesn't want his daughter to go into such danger, doesn't want any of his family to have to face such a malicious evil. Niobe hadn't talked him into letting their daughter go, as they'd both discovered in recent weeks, there was no 'letting her' about their daughter. That didn't mean they weren't afraid for her, and yes, perhaps they'd been somewhat overprotective of her, but she was their only child and... Teredor had almost lost Niobe before either of them had even had a chance to know Aisha._

_One day, he hoped their child would get understand their fears, as she watched her own child run off into adventures. At least she had Tressa and that Ophir boy with her, that at least brought him some comfort as he rallied the guards and began overseeing partial evacuations._

_His wife, resplendent in her Harmonix form, flitting about, protecting them from the new enemies in the seas._

_As much as it pained him and Niobe, they had to see to their people, and the survivors first._

_With any luck, they'd be fortified enough to send a rescue party for Ligea and her people before Aisha was finished at the selkie village._

* * *

Tressa alerts them as they reached the waters above the selkie's meeting place, and Ophir stops their craft. He lets Aisha lower herself into the water, having already realised how prickly the fairy was about being seen as helpless, then follows her down.

The trio head down and down to the sea floor, and in the deep, deep gloom, Ophir has to enact an enchantment to help him see. The two girls share a quick snort of amusement, the wizard who'd come to 'protect' them being less at ease in their surroundings.

Ophir takes it in strides, commenting that he already knew he was just there to look pretty, to which Aisha replies '...nah, I don't see it,' about his 'good-looks'. Tressa laughs, before muffling her response, and Aisha tells her to go ahead. If Aisha can't mentally distance herself from what happened, she feels like she'll go mad, and she doesn't have the time right now.

While the atmosphere has turned sombre, the group tries to keep up their spirits as they descend, and soon enough, they're on the sea floor.

Tressa calls out to any selkies who might be lurking nearby, but after a moment, nothing happens. Tressa suggests they might be gone, fled or hiding from the evil leaking from the Tidal Gate, but Aisha responds with what her senses tell her.

They are surrounded.

Ophir tries a diplomatic approach, explaining the situation, and one of the selkies swims forward. The selkie tells them that they are aware of the troubles by the Gates, but wants to know why three children of Andros would seek the Harmonix Bond at such a time. It is Aisha who answers, telling the selkies that given the strength of the enemy, they could use all the tricks up their sleeves that they could get.

They might be able to rescue the queen as they are, but two of them are of the surface, and even children of Andros , they'd run out of breath or magic sooner or later.

Tressa pleads, confesses to running away, and saying even if the selkies aren't willing to create a Harmonix bond, maybe there was _something_ they could do to help.

The selkie, who the trio is certain is some kind of elder, shakes their head sadly, and admits that several selkies near the epicentre had been converted as well. The evil which contaminates the waters is made of corruption.

And Unquenchable Fire.

Three young selkies, unbonded, and uncharacterised, swim forwards, investigating the trio. Aisha can't see, so she doesn't get to watch as the selkies stream glowing colours behind them. Won't have any idea her new partner, Lemmy, has taken the pale blue of Tressa's scales, and the purple hues of Ophir's clothes, rather than any of Aisha's greens, until she is told, or her sight restored.

Shanti, Tressa's new companion, has taken the darker of Aisha's greens for her hair, while Ophir's Tashy used the lighter green to marble with Tressa's blues.

The power around the trio shimmers, and three new Harmonix transformations are manifested.

* * *

Bloom and Nova are helping Stella pin her hair into place when Bloom realises she feels like she needs to be sick. Stella pales when her friend tells her, and demands to know if it's the same kind of sick as she'd felt on Andros. Judging by the faint foul taste at the back of her own throat, Stella already knows the answer.

Her ceremonial garb and adornment already meets the basic standards, so the trio head out in search of king Radius, or the head of the guards.

They find the head of the guards before they find Stella's father, and tell him there is an intruder in the castle. Bloom hands over a quick sketch she'd made of the man from Andros, and the guard promises to put out the word for everyone to be on the lookout for the stranger.

Stella thanks the guard with brittle manners, and takes her friends to the ceremonial chamber, grumbling the entire way. She'd told her father of the attack on Andros, and he'd promised top send a few men to help. Less than he'd originally wanted after Cassandra, one of the ladies of the court, had stepped in, commenting on how the problems of Andros were not the problems of Solaria.

The woman had manipulated the conversation, until Stella's demands to send help had sounded unreasonable, like she was being a selfish child.

Thankfully Stella's mother, queen Luna, had been in the palace for the ceremony, and had agreed to send two dozen of her best soldiers. Given that the Luna's people were lesser in population than the people of Radius' kingdom, Luna had offered quite a lot of her forces.

But then, her people were more involved with the study of _direct_ _tidal forces_ than his.

Luna is also more emotionally intuitive than her former husband, which is why she notices something amiss when the trio enter the ceremonial chamber.

They quickly tell her about what they've been sensing, and she makes sure all her guards are informed as well.

Before Stella has to leave Bloom and Nova in the viewing area, she slips her Ring to Bloom, as a 'just in case', since non-celestial magic isn't allowed to be used in the chamber for actual magical reasons, and not just as a die-hard-courtesy.

The king arrives soon after, and the last of the participants file in.

As the ceiling opens to reveal a perfect view of the sun and moon, Bloom realises that king Radius isn't compulsively stroking his beard, he's making the same mouth wiping motion that she had on Magix, that Stella had begun doing when the man from Andros had arrived on the same world.

Distracted by the realisation, she almost misses Lady Cassandra's hand resting in a claw grip on the king's other arm.

For a second as Cassandra turns, Bloom thinks she sees something glowing on the woman's neck, but she chalks it up to a trick of the light, even though her insides quiver in terror.

A gong is struck, its sound reverberating throughout the chamber, and the ritual ceremony begins.

* * *

By the time the Androsian trio return to the meeting point, Roy is steering _Anne-Marine_ back into dock, three Harmonix bearing Winx on board.

Roy wants to poke fun at his friend, in his sleeveless jacket shirt, with its midriff baring cut at the front, and its long train at the back, the low slung, painted on pants with their surprisingly utilitarian ribbons. ('No one should look that good in that outfit, curse you and your sexy abs.')

With the group back together, they don't waste anymore time, while Roy and Kiko depart to help the Palace on Land with its defences, the rest of the group follow Tressa to her mother.

* * *

The group goes deep, and Aisha tries not to be annoyed that the others have formed a guard around her, with her eyesight gone, she is compensating with her innate water sense, dialled _way_ up by the Harmonix, she can 'see' more than ever before, certainly more than the others can.

(Being annoyed helps, keeps the fear at arms length, lets her focus enough to do her job as the Fairy of Waves, because she's blind, and the healers and poultice managed to stop the pain, but no one will tell her the exact level of damage the cursed flame did, and that just makes it worse if she lets herself think about it.)

The closer they get to the Tidal Gate, the more oppressive the water feels, like it's saturated with an ambient maliciousness. The group does its best to ignore it, even as they begin having to dart coral to outcrop to evade the mutated merfolk.

The further down they go, the more merfolk, and the worse the mutation. Beneath the mutation and magical corruption though, they are still the people of Andros, and so the group does its best to capture them, or chase them away rather than... more deadly options.

Near the bottom of the trench, they spot a light (except for Aisha who merely senses the radiant waves of the magic,) but it is almost completely blocked by a swarming mass of mutant merfolk. A quick battle plan and the group dives in, Tecna and Musa disorient the masses while Aisha, Flora and Ophir work on restraining them. Between the morphix, the fairy assisted seaweeds and magical ropes, they manage to get a large percentage plastered to the walls of the trench, enough that Queen Ligea and her survivors hidden in the nearby cavern would stand a chance if they began to flee, which they do, directed by Tressa as she uses her new Harmonix boosted powers to shield them as they make their way to the surface.

Ligea lets her daughter lead, preparing to take up position as rear guard, to make sure her people's retreat is defended.

The rescue team knew going in that they would have to be selective in their purpose, they can defend the survivors against attack, or they can defend themselves as they retrieve some of the mutated. The choice was and is clear cut, and they pull back from the fight to protect the survivors.

None of them are expecting the Kraken, a normally grumpy but nonviolent creature, to lash out. It too shows signs of magical corruption, and one of its attacks slams several mutant merfolk against trench wall, where they sink, no longer moving. A second strike manages to catch Ligea in her tail, sending her spinning into a rocky outcropping. Her staff knocked from her hand, floats off into the deeper waters, finding purchase in one of the cracks of the trench floor.

Tressa, who had turned at the sound of the Kraken's wail, screams at the sight of her mother being struck down. She wants to swim the her side, but the survivors are still under attack, groups of the captured mutants have begun to free themselves, and the survivors have to be taken to safety.

With a shriek of frustration, Tressa redoubles her efforts to save her people, even though it tears her heart to pieces, because she _knows_ it is what her mother would want, for their people to be safe, no matter the personal cost.

Closer to the sea floor, Aisha manages to get to Ligea's side before the Kraken can deliver a second devastating blow to the barely hanging on queen. With the sheer number of bodies moving around her, it has gotten a little difficult for Aisha to keep track of everyone and everything, so as she shields the queen she calls out 'Ophir! Sceptre!' and hopes he's close enough to hear her. As much as she'd like to believe the Winx would get it, she hadn't gotten around to explaining the well known (on Andros) properties of the Coral Sceptre her aunt wields.

A few seconds later, Ophir calls out to her, his voice close, and he joins her inside the shield. He hands the sceptre to her, and takes over, maintaining the shield.

The Coral Sceptre has been the weapon of the Queens Beneath the Waves since before memory, an artefact of great power, it had the ability to heal almost any illness or injury, but like the ocean, its power waxed and waned, ebbed and flowed. In this moment, after protecting so many from such corrupting magic for so long, it had only enough power for one perfect healing spell.

The things unsaid by the healers concerning her eyes passed through Aisha's head in a flash, the fate of the mutants, her people, everything that had happened in the last few hours, she let it all go.

In this moment, she knew what she had the power to do, and she knew what she was prepared to let go. In that moment, Aisha felt that she truly understood what it was to be a Guardian Fairy, knowing what you are prepared to lose, and to make a choice that was never a choice at all.

As Aisha turned the sceptre on Ligea and let its healing energies encompass the downed queen, she felt a spark of energy simmering through her body, racing along the veins in her wings, and finally coalescing into a weight around her neck, which felt both lighter than air, and yet impossibly heavy with responsibility.

She doesn't see Ophir close his eyes against the blinding light that encompasses her, or the light around Ligea glow even stronger as the power of the healing spell is multiplied.

Ligea is healed, and the trio bolt from the sea floor, racing after the survivors, the catch up quickly enough, and join Tressa and the Winx in covering the group from any mutants that try to follow them.

By the time the group reaches the safety of the bay by the Palace On Land, they are free from followers.

* * *

The Solarian ceremony is breath taking, and Bloom watches in awe as her friend dances with her mother and several other women, light spilling from their fingers and trailing in their footsteps. They sing in a language that Bloom doesn't understand, confused that the Universal Translation Spell isn't working, she does her best to follow along, and thinks she _maybe_ gets hints of the story.

She'd lean over and ask Nova, but she doesn't want to risk spoiling the ritual, so she stays quiet, idly playing with the Ring Stella had given her for safe keeping.

Something in the room seems to swell, and Bloom feels a little light headed as the tempo changes slightly, like a build up is coming.

Stella begins twirling through the other dancers, and they begin to follow, like they are being drawn after her as she leads the spinning women in a curving pattern around the room, slowly winding her way towards a raised dais at the room's centre, beneath a central sky light.

As Stella ascends, the other women take up places around her, Luna and a woman Bloom doesn't know twirl together in a tight circle around Stella, just beyond the reach of her hair, splayed outwards in the air by the force of her movements.

Bloom knows something big is about to happen, is supposed to happen, but what follows is not what she expected, and most definitely not what was supposed to happen.

Bloom is too focused on her radiant friend to notice the twist of magic lashing out until it is too late.

Stella yelps, her song cut short as she stumbles from the dais, knocking down her mother and the other woman as she falls. The women below them barely manage to get out of the way as the trio roll to the floor. Stella crying out in pain.

Bloom isn't connected with celestial magic the way her friend is, or even like Nova is, but even she can feel the sudden twist in the air, something foul, something _wrong_. The light from the sky above disappears, and there is a faint rumble from somewhere far away, but Bloom is focused on getting to Stella, Nova at her side helping her push through the other watchers and over the short barricades that separate the viewers from the ceremonial section of the floor.

As they finally draw close to Stella, they realise she has been cursed somehow, her body shorter and wider than before, her skin green and slimy, her golden hair a rough sandy bush.

Several of her ceremonial garments have torn, but the pieces made from metal that linked together cut into her skin, an ugly milky blue leaking from the wounds they've caused.

King Radius appears beside them, lady Cassandra at his side, her hand claw-like on his shoulder. He looks at Stella with disgust and horror, no sign of recognition in his eyes, only a strange purple-pink sheen across his irises.

Cassandra whispers into his ear, loud enough for those nearby to hear. 'That thing has taken Stella, it has corrupted the ritual and doomed our world.'

The king calls his guards to 'arrest the beast', the guards seem confused, and reluctant as they move forwards, and Luna stands between them and her daughter, summoning a magical barrier that gleams like moonlight. She berates the guards, and her ex-husband, tries to make them understand that someone else has cursed the princess, that the 'beast' is her daughter.

There is something manic in Radius's gaze when he declares that Luna must also be a beast in disguise, and she is also to be arrested.

There is a bright flash of light, and a loud clap of thunder, and rain begins to pour from the heavy clouds above, a tremor begins to worm its way through the ground. The bystanders begin to cry out in fear, and Cassandra steps forwards, motioning for a girl with long, oily black hair to join her.

Bloom and Nova help a dazed Stella to her feet as Cassandra and the girl begin to pound away at Luna's shield with their own magic. Something about their magic makes Bloom want to wretch.

Stella and Nova move to aid the queen with _their_ magic, to give themselves time to figure things out, but only Nova's magic joins Luna's, Stella unable to draw even the slightest hint of her powers to the surface.

Bloom shivers in revulsion as _something_ begins spilling through the air, the guards no longer divided, begin attacking the small group in earnest.

Luna turns and tells her daughter to escape, because there is clearly something afoot, and someone is targeting Stella. Stella refuses at first, but her mother tells her that staying wouldn't help anything. Stella tries to refuse a second time, saying she has no way to escape, they're surrounded and she can't use magic.

Bloom interrupts her this time, saying that Stella might not have her magic, but Bloom still does. Luna cuts in to remind her that any non-celestial magic used in this chamber will further destabilise the world. Bloom holds up her clenched hand so Luna can see the Ring around her finger, and tells the queen that she _has_ celestial magic.

Nova smirks for a second before asking if Bloom can get them all out, but Bloom's frown lets her know that the red-head can't. Nova focuses more power into the shield and tell her to get Stella out of there.

Bloom flinches before putting a hand on Nova's shoulder and leaning close.

'We'll be back for you both.'

Slipping the ring from her finger, Bloom summons the Ring's staff form and pulls Stella close. Holding the other girl in a tight embrace, Bloom can feel Stella trembling.

She reaches out with her magic, seeking a safe place, and a worn path of sympathetic magic calls to her. Bloom sparks the magic the way Stella had shown her just a week ago, and it pulls both of them away in a flash of light.

Left behind beneath the shield, Luna tells Nova to get closer to her. The queen has a trick left to try, but the safe zone is going to be so slight, that she didn't dare try it while there was three of them to keep safe.

Nova transforms at the queen's behest, and Luna wraps herself around the young fairy, pulling her into an embrace like she would her own daughter. A silent shock wave explodes through the room, followed by an almost tangible wave of light.

When it dissipates, both fairies are gone.

Cassandra screeches furiously at the guards, demanding a search immediately. She is backed up by Radius, and the guards begin to organise.

* * *

In the air above, once Luna finishes telling her pilot to move their ship to a new, secret rendezvous spot, the pair of fleeing fairies discuss their plans. Luna plans to return to her Kingdom on Solaria's moon Celeste, she wants Nova to go with her, but Nova refuses.

The younger fairy claims to know the palace inside and out, having been friends with Stella for years. Something is clearly going on in the court, and they need to keep up on what is going on, who ever is responsible might think to block Luna's scrying abilities, but they can't block someone who is actually there.

The air crackles with lightening, causing both fairies to wince.

Realising they can't spend forever debating things, Luna reluctantly agrees to leave Nova behind to spy on the Court, and heads home to contact her daughter.

* * *

It is deep in the night when Stella and Bloom appear on the shores of Lake Roccaluce. Returning to the world they'd begun this most recent mission made both girls startle when they realised how little time had passed since Stella had shown up on Earth to pick up Bloom.

The realisation that so much had happened in less than a day, broke the tenuous thread holding both girls together, and they slide to the ground, crying. They've been shoving down all the panic and confusion and fear they'd been feeling on Andros, and in the Ceremonial Chamber on Solaria, and now they couldn't, all of it bubbling to the surface.

When Daphne appears moments later, they are still crying, and the ghostly fae is very concerned, she does her best to calm the girls enough for them to tell her what had happened.

When Bloom describes the strange man from Andros, Daphne stills, horror clear on her masked face.

'Valtor,' she whispers, repulsed and terrified. As the night slowly creeps towards morning, Daphne tells the girls of the wizard who had been responsible for not just the first Siege of Domino, but (she's certain though she has no proof) the loss of several of her Circle members in the years prior to it.

A wizard who had felt so _wrong_ in the fabric of reality, that Daphne couldn't stand to be in the same room as him, but who had been obsessed with her.

A wizard from nowhere who claimed to be the son of the Ancestral Witches, and yet _somehow_ wielded a single, corrupted spark of the Dragon Flame.

**Author's Note:**

> *Clarity of Vision Spell: gives Vanessa and Mike the ability to see the pixies and other beings who are otherwise invisible to non- and lower tiered magicals. First cast during the trial concerning the attempt on Vanessa's shop.


End file.
